Singapore's suicide rate hit record high in 2012

Suicides in Singapore hit an all-time high of 487 in 2012 as more young people bogged down by stress and relationship woes took their own lives, a charity group dealing with the problem said Friday. The tally, a 29 percent increase from the 2011 total, was boosted by an 80 percent rise in the 20-29 age bracket, the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) said in a statement. "Common problems presented by this group of people involved stressful life events, and interpersonal relationship issues," said SOS, which aims to prevent suicides by providing emotional support through private counselling and a 24-hour telephone hotline. "These include unemployment, stress with studies or work, financial worries, family life, and struggles with social interactions and feelings of loneliness." Christine Wong, executive director of SOS, said young people under stress "tend to hide their pain behi...